Press release - 28/01/2021 Carl Zeiss Foundation funds Interdisciplinary practice Study at Heidelberg University with the sum of approximately of 4.5 Million Euros Can interconnected digital assistance systems enhance the quality of life of people in older age? Scientists in an interdisciplinary research project at Heidelberg University are exploring this question in a representative practice study. The participating researchers want to investigate how well these technical aids can be used and what benefit they achieve.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/carl-zeiss-foundation-funds-interdisciplinary-practice-study-heidelberg-university-sum-approximately-45-million-euros
Press release - 25/11/2021 New Collaborative Research Centre at Ulm University Focusing on the factors that influence human aging After a highly competitive process Ulm University has been awarded its fifth Collaborative Research Centre (CRC). The new CRC 1506 ‘Aging at Interfaces’ addresses one of the most urgent medical challenges of our time: the aging of the human body and the diseases and constraints that are frequently associated with the aging process.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-collaborative-research-centre-ulm-university-focusing-factors-influence-human-aging
Article - 18/11/2019 Researchers successfully rejuvenate the immune system in animal models It is well known that stem cells age. Even the human immune system loses its power with age. Since all immune cells are derived from blood-forming stem cells, it is quite natural to associate the weakening of the immune system (immune senescence) with the ageing of blood-forming stem cells. Stem cell researchers and immunologists from the University of Ulm have now demonstrated the important role that blood-forming cells play in the ageing of the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/Researchers-successfully-rejuvenate-the-immune-system-in-animal-models
Press release - 04/08/2022 Inflammation accelerates aging of the hematopoietic system In mice, inflammation in early to mid-life leads to a permanent decline in functional blood stem cells, according to a recent publication by scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM*. The ability of the blood stem cells to regenerate was suppressed for at least one year after challenge with inflammation.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/inflammation-accelerates-aging-hematopoietic-system
Press release - 13/07/2021 Breakthrough in research on age-related macular degenerationtion Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the commonest cause of blindness in developed countries affecting seven million in total in Germany, from which 500,000 people are suffering from late stage disease, around half of whom are registered as visually impaired. There are two forms of AMD, ‘wet’ and ‘dry’. There are currently no treatments available for the dry form of the disease (geographic atrophy).https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/breakthrough-research-age-related-macular-degenerationtion
Press release - 04/11/2022 How do our brain cells age? The health of nerve cells is closely linked to the auxiliary cells that surround them, the so-called glial cells. It still remains largely unknown what role glial cells play in age-related diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/wie-altern-die-zellen-unserem-gehirn
Augmented reality for visual orientation - 15/11/2023 Fall prevention with the help of balance-enhancing AR glasses As we age, our eyesight deteriorates and we have increasing difficulties with orientation. This can lead to balance problems and fatal falls. A team led by Dr. Lorenz Assländer from the University of Konstanz is currently developing a prototype of augmented reality (AR) glasses that use superimposed patterns to facilitate visual orientation in space, thereby helping to improve balance control and prevent falls.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/fall-prevention-help-balance-enhancing-ar-glasses
Press release - 18/11/2022 Leading Swiss laboratory equipment manufacturer Hamilton Bonaduz AG buys Freiburg-based microfluidic technology company BioFluidix GmbH BioFluidix GmbH, a spin-off resulting from the cooperation between Hahn-Schickard and the Department of Microsystems Engineering at the University of Freiburg, is now part of the Swiss Hamilton Bonaduz AG.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/fuehrender-laborgeraetehersteller-hamilton-bonaduz-ag-kauft-freiburger-mikrodosierunternehmen-biofluidix-gmbh
Neurodegenerative diseases - 12/12/2022 Blood-based biomarkers allow the early prediction of Alzheimer's risks Most dementia diseases develop insidiously and are only detected at an advanced stage. Researchers at the University of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now identified the glial fibre acidic protein (GFAP) in the blood as a promising biomarker that can be used to determine an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease up to 17 years before diagnosis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/blood-based-biomarkers-allow-early-prediction-alzheimers-risks
Press release - 11/01/2022 Obesity at a young age - a risk factor for early colorectal cancer The incidence of colorectal cancers in young adults is increasing. At the same time, the proportion of overweight and obese young people is also on the rise. Whether there is a connection between these two observations, however, was not known until now. Scientists at the DKFZ have now shown that the risk of early colorectal cancer is significantly increased in overweight young people compared to normal-weight peers.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/obesity-young-age-risk-factor-early-colorectal-cancer
Press release - 07/02/2024 The unexpected long-term consequences of female fertility The constant remodeling of the organs of the female reproductive tract during the reproductive cycle leads to fibrosis and chronic inflammation over the years. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now uncovered these unexpected long-term consequences of female reproductive function in mice. The results have been published in the scientific journal CELL.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/die-unerwartete-auswirkung-der-weiblichen-fortpflanzungsfaehigkeit
Article - 20/01/2020 Brain tumour patients could benefit from heavy ion therapy Glioblastoma is a malignant brain tumour. It does not respond anywhere near as well to conventional forms of therapy than other tumours because it contains particularly resistant cancer cells. Scientists at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) at Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Center have shown that heavy ion therapy is effective against these cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/Brain-tumour-patients-could-benefit-from-heavy-ion-therapy
Press release - 06/01/2023 CureVac Announces Positive Data on Joint COVID-19 and Flu mRNA Vaccine Development Programs CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq: CVAC), a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (“mRNA”), today announced positive preliminary data from ongoing Phase 1 clinical programs in COVID-19 and seasonal flu, assessing both modified and unmodified mRNA technology. The tested vaccine candidates are being developed in collaboration with GSK.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-announces-positive-data-joint-covid-19-and-flu-mrna-vaccine-development-programs
Press release - 11/03/2021 Researchers recommend earlier start of breast cancer screening with family history of ovarian cancer Women have an increased risk of breast cancer if they have a family history of this disease. However, the risk may also be higher if first-degree family members have another type of cancer, according to a study by a team of scientists and physicians from the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), as well as international colleagues. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/researchers-recommend-earlier-start-breast-cancer-screening-family-history-ovarian-cancer
Press release - 22/05/2024 Stretched beyond the limits of the cell: the molecular biomechanics of collagen Together with colleagues from Israel and USA, HITS researcher Frauke Gräter investigates the effects of physical force on the collagen protein in two different animal model systems. Their goal is to measure the effects of mechanoradicals on the integrity of the tissue and the well-being of the organism, with impact on health and aging.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/stretched-beyond-limits-cell-molecular-biomechanics-collagen
Press release - 13/06/2024 Eyesight from a 3D Printer Printing a new cornea during an operation to restore a patient’s eyesight: This groundbreaking step in the fight against corneal disorders is set to become reality with a laser based process using personalized bioink. The method was developed by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in collaboration with Carl Zeiss Meditec AG and Evonik Healthcare. Their project won the idea award in this year’s NEULAND innovation contest.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/eyesight-3d-printer
The Baden-Württemberg healthcare industry At a glance https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/facts-and-figures
Press release - 24/04/2024 CureVac Announces Start of Combined Phase 1/2 Study in Avian Influenza (H5N1); Development in Collaboration with GSK Phase 1 part of combined Phase 1/2 study initiated as part of pandemic preparedness against highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus, considered to be potential future pandemic threat. Study will assess monovalent vaccine candidate, encoding an influenza A H5-antigen using proprietary second-generation mRNA backbone. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-announces-start-combined-phase-12-study-avian-influenza-h5n1-development-collaboration-gsk
Press release - 18/10/2023 SARS-CoV-2: Alert immune system in the respiratory tract protects children from severe courses of the disease Why are severe courses of SARS-CoV-2 infection less common in children and adolescents than in adults? Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have now discovered that the immune system in the upper respiratory tract is much more alert and active in children before infection than in adults and is therefore better equipped to fight the virus.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/sars-cov-2-aktiveres-immunsystem-den-atemwegen-schuetzt-kinder-vor-schweren-verlaeufen
Press release - 23/05/2024 Predicting cancer risks on the basis of national health data Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the European Bioinformatics Institute EMBL-EBI, Hinxton, UK, are using the Danish health registers to predict individual risks for 20 different types of cancer with a high degree of accuracy. The prediction model can also be transferred to other healthcare systems. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/predicting-cancer-risks-basis-national-health-data
Press release - 04/03/2021 CureVac and Novartis Sign Initial Agreement on Manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, CVnCoV CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq: CVAC), a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), and Novartis AG announced today that they have signed an initial agreement for the manufacturing of CureVac’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV. Preparations for the start of production, technology transfers and test runs are already underway. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-and-novartis-sign-initial-agreement-manufacturing-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-cvncov
Expert interview - 31/08/2021 Health Data Scenarios - many possibilities for the future? The digitization of healthcare is progressing slowly but steadily. In addition to simple telemedical applications, data such as electronic patient records are forming the basis of digitization. The ‘Health Data Scenarios’ project aims to model the future of healthcare data by using scenarios. Lucas Scherdel, Healthcare Innovation Director at DayOne, and Dr. Alexander Fink, founder and CEO of ScMI AG, explain how this will work.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/health-data-scenarios-many-possibilities-future
Development of anti-tumour agents - 20/03/2023 Targeting the protective shield of cancers Cancer cells have different mechanisms to help them escape destruction by the immune system. Solid tumours, for example, are often surrounded by a protective layer of lactate, which has a strong immunosuppressive effect. WMT AG from Heidelberg is developing small drug molecules that reduce lactate production and thus make cancer cells vulnerable to immune system attacks.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/targeting-protective-shield-cancers
Press release - 29/11/2022 Prototype funding for two Konstanz projects Chemical building blocks from plastic waste; Reducing the risk of falls using virtual orientation aids: Konstanz chemists Manuel Häußler and Lukas Odenwald as well as sport scientist Lorenz Assländer receive Baden-Württemberg prototype funding for their transfer projects "Waste2DCA" and "Augmented Balance".https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/doppelter-erfolg-der-prototypenfoerderung
Tumour organoids facilitate drug discovery - 20/07/2023 Drug screening for children with cancer using patient-specific miniature tumours Standard drugs often don’t work in children and adolescents with recurrent cancer. Researchers from the Hopp Children's Tumour Centre (KITZ) and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg have been looking to open up new therapy options for those affected, and have cultivated individual miniature tumours from biopsy samples to test the effectiveness of a variety of drugs within a few weeks.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/drug-screening-children-cancer-using-patient-specific-miniature-tumours